This data protection glossary defines relevant terms in the context of data protection on the internet.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tracking | See article. |
| Browser fingerprint | See article. |
| Cookie | See article. |
| Data processing | According to Art. 4 GDPR, already given by "disclosure by transmission, dissemination or otherwise making available". It already begins with data collection (the possible taking note of received data). |
| Device fingerprint | Used here as a synonym for browser fingerprint. |
| Service | Synonym for tool. |
| Domain Name Service | Also called DNS: a kind of dictionary that returns the matching IP address for a symbolic name (URL). |
| GDPR | See article. |
| Google Analytics | Popular tracker, hardly manageable under data protection law. See article. |
| Google Maps | Popular map service, hardly usable on websites in compliance with the GDPR. See article or privacy-friendly alternative. |
| Google fonts | Web fonts that are often used incorrectly, also called Google Fonts. See article. |
| Google Tag Manager | Powerful helper program for loading further services. See article. |
| IP address | IP address stands for Internet Protocol address and is a fundamental part of the protocol that underlies the loading of websites. See article. |
| AI | AI stands for artificial intelligence. It probably processes more data than any other technology. See posts. |
| MFA | Multi-factor authentication. Uses several security barriers at the same time, for example two password prompts (one via the server, one via a login form) or media breaks such as SMS or ChipTAN. |
| Tool | An electronic service. See article. |
| Domain (top level) | Part of a URL that represents a symbolic name. Example of a first-level domain (top-level domain): google.de. |
| Content Delivery Network | Highly available, very fast online storage for optimizing the loading times of websites. Example of a CDN: Cloudflare. Another example is the Bootstrap CDN. Bootstrap is a framework for dynamic websites. |
| CDN | See Content Delivery Network. |
| Domain | See domain (top level). |
| CSS | Abbreviation for Cascading Style Sheet. Contains layout information for websites, such as the font for headings. |
| DPA | Data processing agreement (German: Auftragsverarbeitungsvertrag, AVV). |
| BGH | German Federal Court of Justice (Bundesgerichtshof). |
| CJEU | Court of Justice of the European Union (German: EuGH), has issued various important rulings on digital data protection. |
| Server | Here: a computer connected to the internet that allows a website to be operated. |
| Website operator | For simplicity, used synonymously with the controller for the data processing of the website. |
| Subpage | A page on a website, such as the legal notice or an article page. Often called a subpage rather than a page, because page could also mean a particular website as a whole. |
| Script | A file that provides a function using the JavaScript programming language. |
| JavaScript | A programming language that runs on websites in the user's browser. |
| HTML | Abbreviation for HyperText Markup Language. A language for defining websites (subpages). |
| Registrant | The party that rents a domain from a registrar. |
| Registrar | The party that manages symbolic internet addresses (domains). |
| URL | An address reachable in a network. Unique symbolic name of a website or file that can be retrieved in a browser by resolving the symbolic name into an IP address with the help of a Domain Name Service. |
| Tracker | Loosely defined term for a tracking service. See tracking. |
| Whois query | A query about whom a domain is registered to. See article. |
My German-English data protection dictionary gives translations for many data protection terms.
My name is Klaus Meffert. I have a doctorate in computer science and have been working professionally and practically with information technology for over 30 years. I also work as an expert in IT & data protection. I achieve my results by looking at technology and law. This seems absolutely essential to me when it comes to digital data protection. My company, IT Logic GmbH, also offers consulting and development of optimized and secure AI solutions.
